Consider consequences of waste-to-energy plan

September 21, 2013

Maui County has been discussing the incineration of waste to generate electricity in an effort to reduce pressure on landfill facilities and save some money.

There is no silver bullet solution to our wasteful consumer-oriented culture. The solid waste derived from burning trash, while only 17 percent of the original trash itself, has been found to have high levels of the carcinogenic heavy metal cadmium in bottom ash, sometimes twice the limit allowed for landfills, which will eventually percolate into groundwater.

Burning waste for energy may also have the unintended consequence of reducing recycling efforts.

I would encourage the Maui County Council to take a long hard look at entering into a contract that requires a constant amount of fuel to power an electrical generator which will come at the expense of our reduce, reuse and recycle programs.